Broken Beyond Repair
by TheOneAndOnly768
Summary: Hermione, distraught due to a particularily horrible episode with her abusive husband Ron, turns to the last person anyone would have suspected, herself included. Dramione. T for language, mild violence, and...WHO KNOWS!
1. Reunion

"Good morning students! Please open your books to page three-hundred and ninety four. We're going to have a pop quiz. You have five minutes: go."

Hermione smiled at the groans that spread around her classroom – no student in Professor Granger's class would fail their OWLs. As the sound of quills scratching paper filled the room, Hermione sighed and sat down, wincing at the bruise that had not yet faded...

Suddenly, the door flung open, and all heads turned to see a beanstalk of a man with bright purple hair barge into the dungeon.

"Well I'll be damned, look what the cat brought in! Hermione Granger – how the hell are you?"

Hermione laughed as jaws dropped around the room. She said with a grin, "Theodore Remus Lupin. Watch your language." She ran and gave him a hug.

The class snickered, and Hermione blushed as she realized she and Teddy had an audience. She composed herself and told the class, "As I recall, I have only allowed five minutes for this quiz. There is one remaining." She dragged Teddy over to her desk and summoned a chair. Before she could say anything, Teddy reached up to graze her cheek.

"What happened to your face?" Hermione flushed. "Err...I fell and hit my head on a countertop."

Teddy laughed and said, "Well that wasn't incredibly bright: let's face it."

Hermione gave a nervous giggle and changed the subject. "So what's up?"

At this, Teddy became instantly uncomfortable. "Emmmmmmm...not much...but I've got some pretty exciting news! Kind of...Ummm...Yeahh..."

Hermione giggled. "Merlin, Ted, just spit it out."

Teddy became even ready..."I well, um...Igurenmardsm."

"What was that?"

"I'm...getting married soon."

Hermione gasped and smiled. "That's great, Teddy! What were you so nervous about?"

At this, Teddy turned a shade of eggplant that would have put Uncle Vernon to shame. "Well...its no-"

"Here's my quiz, Professor Granger." said a nervous-looking Ravenclaw.

"Thank you, Charlotte. You may return to your seat." said Hermione. "Now, what were you saying, Teddy?"

"Oh, it's nothing," he said, "I'll come over for dinner tonight, and tell you then."

"Teddy, wai-" Hermione yelled, but he had already disapparated.

_Oh, well. _He would have to tell her sometime.

**-A/N****: Hi guys, this is my first attempt at well, anything, so please review and give me your honest opinions - If I'm making something horrible, I wanna know! I promise, it IS a Dramione...It'll work out. Tell me what you think.**

**3 TOAO-  
**


	2. Gone Wrong

**-A/N: OOH...mystery. For those of you overly fond of Ron, I would suggest you not read this chapter. I don't want to offend anyone. T.T **

**3 TOAO-**

"Crap." Hermione said out loud. "Great, steaming piles of dragon dung." She dug around once more in her bag for her keys. Giving up, she pointed her wand at the deadbolt and whispered, "Alohamora."

The door swung open. She stepped tentatively into her apartment and said, "Hello?"

"Mione, sweetheart." Ron came staggering into the room. He slapped her on the rear end, bent down, and whispered, "Have I ever told you that you have a fantastic ass?" That was when she smelled it.

"Ronald, you've been drinking." The words slipped out without forethought.

"So what if I have, sweetheart?" He grabbed her arm, and with the fluidity of practice, socked her in the jaw. "It really isn't any of your damn business."

Hermione stared, unfazed, and said "Teddy's coming over. Just thought you might want to sober up a bit."

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess that couldn't hurt. Make me some coffee, 'Mione, I'll be in the kitchen."

Hermione sighed. This couldn't end well. She started the coffee pot, and then grabbed an icepack and her wand to get rid of the evidence.

x-x

There was a knock at the door. Hermione rushed to answer it.

"Teddy!" She exclaimed. "Long time, no see!"

"Very funny, Hermione. Now would you let me in before I freeze to death."

Hermione laughed. "Sure, sure. Come on in."

For the second time that day, Teddy reached up to touch her face.

"Merlin, Hermione, you're clumsy."

Hermione let out a dry chuckle and touched her jaw. "Yeahh..."

"Anyways", she said, "Come sit down. I made macaroni and cheese with hot dogs. I'm a gourmet chef, in case you can't tell."

The turned the corner to find Ron sitting at the dining room table, vodka in hand. He cracked a grin and boomed, "Teddy! I swear, you got taller again."

"Unlikely, Ron." Teddy laughed. I think 210 cm is as high as I'm going to get.

Teddy sat down, and helped himself to a monstrous plate of food. Ron did the same.

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, "Teddy, tell Ronald what you told me, earlier."

Teddy turned the same color as his hair. "Erm, well, it's nothing really...It's just, erm, well it's nothing, really-"

"Oh, shut up, its huge!" said Hermione, "Ronald, Teddy is getting MARRIED!"

Theodore Remus Lupin looked about ready to explode with embarrassment.

"That's great, boy!" said Ron slyly, "Who's the girl?" Ron took another shot.

"Well, that's kind of what I was trying to tell Hermione, earlier." Teddy replied.

"It's kind of delicate. I need to count on your guys' support."

"Of course, Teddy. We're your family now. It's too bad Harry and Ginny are away, they could have heard this firsthand!" Hermione replied.

Teddy flushed again. "Erm, anyways, like I said, it's rather delicate. 'The girl', Ron, you said. Well, my fiancé...isn't exactly a girl. His name is John."

Ron's jaw dropped, but Hermione smiled to herself. _Oh, the poor, oblivious little boy._ It had been clear, to her at least, from the beginning. She kept her cool.

Ron didn't.

He leapt over the table and grabbed Teddy with his bare hands. Hermione, shocked that this could ever happen to anyone but herself, did nothing as Teddy slammed against the wall. Then, her years of practice with this situation kept in. _"Protego!"_ she yelled, as Ron finished his sentence with "You betrayed me, you disgusting little fa-"_"Silencio!" _Hermione stopped before Teddy could be hurt, hurt as she had, by Ron's drunken words.

_"Petrificus Totalus."_ She choked through tears, tears that had appeared out of no where.

She stood to face a sobbing Teddy, and glanced around the room as the carnage reminded her of what Ron had become.

**Review, review, review!**


	3. Broken

It had always been.  
Hermione wished she could say that Ron had turned into a monster because of some traumatic event, that there was a reason for her suffering. But this was not the case.  
It had always been.  
The question that plagued Hermione had never been, _Why does Ron do this?_  
Because that question had an answer.  
The real question: _Why do I put up with it?_  
She had never been able to answer this one. But it didn't matter anymore. Her wildest nightmares had been realized.  
_What do I do now?_

x-x

Hermione carefully took Teddy's hand. He squeezed it a moment, and then pulled away in disgust.  
"Teddy, I-"  
His eyes threw her. There was something off. The sparkling sapphire eyes that had been his trademark were gone, replaced by a watery blue that, oddly enough, echoed Hermione's own. She knew those eyes. They were the eyes of someone who had been broken.  
She watched as Teddy Lupin disapparated one last time.  
She sat on the bed, shell-shocked, rocking back and forth, whimpering to herself.  
Ron began to stir, the curse lifting. "HERMIONE!"  
She knew what was coming, and her whimperings increased as she turned her head from the inevitable hit.  
But when no pain came, she peeked out from behind her hand and saw a smirking Ron. She had not seen this smile before. There was something off...something scary about the way he held himself.  
"So! That was a pleasant dinner! Little Lupin boy comes over, tells us that he's a disgusting little FAG. I punish him for his choice - trying to sway his ways,you know, nothing horrible, my own wife body-binds me." He came closer  
"HOW'S THAT, HERMIONE?" He was in her face now. "ARE YA SATISFIED NOW? I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE MARRIED YOU, YOU...FILTHY LITTLE _MUDBLOOD_."  
Hermione sobbed uncontrollably, rocking back and forth, back and forth. Ron left the room, and Hermione knew she could not stay here, in this place, any longer. She went to the only place she could think of - her refuge from the world.

x-x

"Mum, going to the shops, need anything?" Draco hollered. No answer. _Fine, then. Just the apples._  
He stepped out the front door of the manor, and was immediately assaulted by the sun. Shading his eyes, he looked up at the sky, deciding it was too nice a day to apparate. He followed the beaten path through the woods, whistling as he pushed back the dense foliage.

Merlin, it felt good to be out of the house. Sometimes his mother was just too much to handle.  
_I'm fine, mum. No, really. Mum, I'm 26 years old, I can handle a few nightmares. No, I don't want any soup. Why the hell would I want soup? Shh, shh, I'm sorry, I know you only wanted to help, Yes mum, I love you too. Sure, I would love some soup._  
He had that interview coming up, though, so maybe he would actually GET this job.  
I mean, if _anyone_ was going to hire an ex-Death Eater, it would be them.  
And he needed a job. Needed to get his mind off things. Needed to get away from his grieving mother. Needed to leave the house where his father's spirit was ever-present. Needed to get away from the life that he would be ashamed of forever.

He remembered when he realized what he had become. Up in the tower, with the old man staring into his soul, the very same man who had supported every student at Hogwarts. Even the ones like him, the ones who didn't deserve it. He remembered being pushed out of the way, and watched as Dumbledore closed his eyes for the last time. The rest was a blur. But one thing had changed. He had realized. He had seen hte cruelty to which he had been blind all these years.

I mean, it's not like he could change sides. He was smart enough to know the consequences of such a thing. But he never hurt another on Voldemort's behalf.

He was snapped out of his own memories by an ear-splitting scream.

**-HEHE. THERE he is. I'm sorry if I'm not updating often enough, but I am taking a particularily grueling chem class this semester and this is the most time I've had in a while. I'll try to update once more over the weekend and once more next week. **

**I'm not gonna bug you guys to review anymore after this, but critique really does help. **

**GET READY FOR A DRAMIONE MEETING. My favorite part :3**

**Lots of love-TOAO**


	4. Unexpected

Hermione paced around the clearing. She kept seeing Ron's face in her head, his mouth forming the filthy word that had broken her. "Mudblood." Because what was she, really, other than that? "Mudblood." She had let Ron hurt Teddy, had let him get to someone else. "Mudblood." No, the shame that coursed through her body now had nothing to do with her heritage.

Hermione let out a shriek that rivaled that of Banshees. And another. She screamed until her throat went hoarse, and then screamed once more. Then, with no voice and no substance, she sat down and sobbed, sobbed for herself and for Teddy and for what she had done. When she had run out of tears, still she cried, and perhaps this was all the more scarier.

But when finally she stopped, Hermione looked around the clearing once more, and became aware that she had an audience.

"Malfoy?"

"Granger."

"Why are you here?"

"You're in the woods outside my house."

"Oh yes...I had forgotten. I suppose it doesn't matter. How much...did you see?"

"Enough. What _happened_, Granger?"

At this Hermione shuddered, and tears came to her eyes once more. She sat down, not sobbing anymore, not making a sound as the tears ran down her face. She looked up at Draco.

"Why the HELL should I tell you? What have you done for me? You, you and all the other men in the world, you think people will forgive you at your own command. You think what you say won't have an effect on people. And even if you do realize that you've affected someone, you couldn't care less." Hermione wasn't really talking about Malfoy anymore.

Draco's jaw dropped, and she saw the hurt register on his face, followed by confusion, and then, nothing. And then he spoke.

"You should tell me, because if you don't tell someone, it'll stay inside of you for the rest of your life. The torment will be inescapable. The struggle within yourself will be so great that it will warp your mind - turn you into something you're not. You should tell me, because if not, you'll end up just like me."

Hermione's eyes widened. She had never seen this side of Malfoy before. He wasn't the stone cold person she expected him to be. And then she remembered that night, that fateful night in his own manor, with him as a spectator. Hermione remembered Malfoy's emotionless face as Bellatrix had shouted "Crucio!" She remembered his actions, or lack thereof, when Lestrange cut into her own flesh. She remembered that night, and grew cold and hard inside. Hermione held up her arm, showing Malfoy the unfinished word that would stay with her forever.

"Let me repeat. Why the HELL should I tell you?"

And then, Hermione disapparated.

x-x

Draco stood in the clearing. He put on the emotionless mask of his forefathers as the turmoil inside of him began to register in the physical world. One small gasp escaped his lips. He was out of practice. It had been so long since Draco had had to control his emotions. So long since his father had died. _Shops. I've got to get to the shops. _Draco, realizing that he was too far off the path to find his way again, apparated to the trees outside of the grocery's car park. He walked into the muggle shop and picked up a basket from the stack near the door. Face blank and in an unbroken gaze straight forward, he walked into the produce aisle and bagged ten apples. He did all that, all that with his face emotionless.

His composure didn't break until he got to the register. Then, his face turned to something not unlike terror. He began to hyperventilate, and the woman working the register held out her hand to steady him.

"Sir, are you alright? Sir?"

Malfoy looked at the woman, so oblivious, whose life had never been tarnished by the Dark Lord. He envied the muggles. They had never had cause to worry.

Draco took a deep breath. "Yes, thank you. I'm just fine."

**Well, did I take long enough to get to the point? I don't know, if I continue to move at this pace, this story is going to end up being REALLY unbearably long. :D But s'all good. Thank you to NazChick, Poppy Popyncourt, and I'm a Muppet of a girl for reviewing! It's nice to know that someone's reading this, and it really doesn't matter if it's only you three. **  
**I'm actually updating right after I finish writing these chapters, so please don't think I'm holding out on you guys. **

**Lots of love- TOAO**


	5. Thoughts

Hermione sat on a log in the clearing, trying to get her bearings. Not in the physical world - Hermione knew very well where she was. She was trying to make sense of the tangled mess that had become her mind.  
"_You filthy little MUDBLOOD!"_  
_He was drunk, _Hermione thought to herself. _Just drunk. It's OK if he was just drunk - he didn't mean it. _  
_Right?_  
_And Teddy...Teddy. So young and fresh and _good, _so innocent._  
_Broken. _  
_And Draco..._Hermione frowned at this last one. How could he have the audacity to even try to relate? He had never known abuse, had never been broken. He was the type to break others.  
Or?  
Hermione thought of all the times Draco had shown up to school bruised, bragging of various brawls with Gryffindors. Had it been something entirely different? Had his father...?  
_NO! Stop!_  
Hermione could not think of Draco now. She had to focus on the matter at hand. Taking a single deep breath, Hermione apparated to her own living room. Ron turned, and grinned menacingly.

x-x

Draco stumbled home, too caught up in his own thoughts to apparate. He yanked open his front door, and the sound of his mother's voice brought him back to Earth.  
"Draco, Draco, dear? What took so long - I was worried sick!" she yelled hysterically.  
"Mum." replied Draco. "I was only gone for half an hour. I decided to...err...take the scenic route to the shops."  
Narcissa caught the hesitant tone in her son's voice.  
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, do not lie to your mother. Why were you late?!"  
Draco didn't answer, but simply walked up the stairs to his room. Narcissa followed him.  
"Draco! What is the matter?" Again, Draco didn't answer. "DRACO! Do NOT ignore me!"  
Draco shut the door in his mother's face, and muttered protective and silencing spells powerful enough to hide a dwarf wrestling match. He sat down on his four poster, attempting to gather his thoughts.  
_Granger. HERMIONE Granger. _  
_Crying. _  
Hermione was the strongest person he had ever known - he had never once seen her lose control. Well, except for that one time in third year...  
_Dammit Draco! Focus! _  
What could be so bad that it would push her past her breaking point? Not even seeing her friends murdered right before her eyes had broken Granger. She was tough as nails. Tougher than Draco himself.  
Actually, Draco had seen Hermione cry, once before. He had stood in the shadowy corners of the castle, watching Hermione pour her heart out to Potter...  
About Weasley.  
Could it have something to do with him?  
No, the Weasel was an ass, but he couldn't do...THAT...to Hermione Granger. Draco would not allow that thought to enter his head.  
But what WAS it?  
And more importantly...  
Why did he give a damn?

x-x

Hermione looked at Ron, and loathing coursed through her. Unadulterated loathing.  
Ron smiled sheepishly, and spoke.  
"Hermione, my deepest apologies." He sniggered to himself. "I would not have called you that if I had known you would react so... strongly." Hermione's frown deepened.  
"But really, now." Ron's face grew serious. "What the hell is wrong with you? I am your husband - you belong to me. I can call you whatever the hell I please. You will never again leave me - you are mine forever: you agreed to that years ago. To apparate away is a sign of the greatest disrespect. It will not happen again. Do you understand?"  
Hermione didn't reply, her face void of emotion.  
"I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF DUNG?"  
Hermione began to draw her wand, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.  
"Hermione, Ron? Can you let us in? Our toes are in great danger of being frozen off!"  
It was Harry.  
_Shit._ thought Hermione, _was I about to hex Ron? Remember what happened last time I did that? I couldn't go to work for a week, I was so banged up. It was worth it, I guess, but still..._  
"Hermione? Ron" Ginny called, "I don't mean to bother you, but it is rather cold out here!"  
Hermione shook herself out and forced a smile. She would deal with it later - no one could know her secret.  
Hermione opened the door and let the newlyweds in.  
"Harry, Ginny!" she said in the happiest tone she could muster, "Welcome! How was your honeymoon?"  
"Ermmm..." Harry mumbled, "It was...eventful." Ginny giggled and blushed, and Harry winked at her knowingly. I shuddered as I got the innuendo.  
"Oh, Harry! Did you have to?" said Ginny.  
"What?" He said innocently. " She _did_ ask."  
Ginny smiled. "Where's Ron?"  
Hermione's grin faded. "Ah...well, see..." Hermione glanced at the shut bedroom door. "He's...not feeling well. Not well at all, unfortunately." she said in a monotone.  
Ginny laughed, but Harry stared at his best friend and said, "Hermione, is there something wrong?"  
"What?" she said, her voice an octave higher than usual. "No, no, just food poisoning. He tested out George's new Wheezes." She giggled nervously. "That's all."  
Thankfully, Harry fell for the ploy. "That's too bad! But also really bloody funny."  
"Harry!" Ginny scolded. "That's not very nice!" But then the thought of her brother's appetite sent her into giggles.  
Hermione smiled nervously. "Anyway, I haven't even started dinner yet. Alcohol, anyone?"  
"Just a butterbeer, please." They both said simultaneously. This sent Harry and Ginny into another fit of giddiness.  
Hermione kept her composure until she entered the kitchen, out of earshot. Then, she began to hyperventilate again. This was becoming really inconvenient. She had dealt with Ron for years: why couldn't she control herself now?  
"_Mudblood."_  
Was there anything for it?  
"_Mudblood."_  
It was just a word. Nothing more than that.  
"_Mublood."_  
Just a word.  
"_Mudblood."_  
No, it was much more. But there was nothing Hermione could do about it - nothing she could say that would make Ron stop. And Hermione knew that no matter how much she wanted to, she could never bring herself to leave Ron, even though she could see him with clear eyes now. There was no goodness in him, and yet he was impossible to forget. Ron was a part of Hermione now, mixed in with all the other parts, good and bad.  
No, Hermione couldn't leave Ron. She knew it was an impossible thing to conceive. There was no part of her that would allow for her to let go of him.  
No, Hermione couldn't leave Ron. He would leave a hole too deep to be filled. She didn't _want_ to leave him.  
Right?  
She didn't want to leave him...without help. But who could she ask? Who could she turn to who could possibly relate? Who else had been abused to the point that she had?  
She could think of only one...but Draco was never going to-  
Hermione's inner turmoil was interrupted by the most famous wizard of all time, whining like a three-year old.  
"Hermione, where is my butterbeer? I'm getting impatient here!" Harry yelled. Hermione came back to Earth and sighed, ready to put on yet another mask, ready to hide her pain from yet another friend.  
Well, ready enough.

**GAHH I know. It's been a whole week! Hey, normal excuses...chemistry, drama, swim, violin, guitar...**  
**laziness...**  
**JK GUYS. I would never do that to you. ANYWHO. I've just noticed that the ages in this are a bit warped. DEAL WITH IT BRO. They're all young. And stuff.**  
**THANK YOU to Kiari Ferrari and ayla for reviewing, as well. That's five now! Making progress, guys. It's nice to know someone's reading :D I promise, I'll pick up the pace a little in the next chapter...maybe. I DON'T EVEN KNOW YET. Pineapple.**  
**I'm aware that I can be a little...overdramatic...when I write, and repeat stuff a lot. If you think I'm doing something wrong, tell me! You don't even have to be nice! Part of the reason I'm doing this is to better myself as a writer, and I truly try to input all suggestions into my story. **

**Lots of Love - TOAO**

**P.S. Get the **_**Wicked**_ **reference? Mwahahahaha.**


	6. Interviews

The sun fell across Draco's eyes, and only then did he realize he had fallen asleep. He pulled himself up slowly, and went outside to face the inevitable. She was no Voldemort, true, but in some ways, his mother was even scarier.  
"HOW DARE YOU SHUT THE DOOR IN MY FACE? I WAS WORRIED SICK!"  
"Mum, I was in my room! Even the pillows have cushioning charms! What could possibly have happened?"  
Narcissa's face fell, and her lower lip trembled. Draco rolled his eyes. Wasn't _she_ supposed to be taking care of _him_?  
"I'm sorry, mum. I didn't mean to snap. I'm alright, really."  
Narcissa mumbled something unintelligible.  
"What?" Draco said, "What was that?" He leaned in closer.  
"Merlin, mum, I can't EAT any more soup!" Draco's mother laughed, and he knew the worst was over. He happened to glance down at his watch, and swore. The interview!  
"Mum, I've got that job interview in twenty minutes. Can you iron my pants?" Draco asked.  
"Yes, dear," said Narcissa, rolling her eyes, "of course."

x-x

Hermione watched a very drunk Harry swagger out the door, and caught up with Ginny to say good bye.  
"It was great, Hermione, thanks for a lovely evening."  
"Of, course, of course," said Hermione, "come back anytime."  
"I'll do that," said Ginny, "Thanks again, bye!" She walked down the driveway after Harry, laughing. Hermione closed the door. Glancing once again at the closed bedroom door, and shuddering at the monster waiting on the other side, she grabbed a throw and lay down on the couch, exhausted.

x-x

Hermione's automated watch alarm went off - she had work today. Quietly, she sat up and slid off the couch. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she laughed out loud. Sleeping on the couch was not good for one's hair.  
Hermione remembered where the hairbrush was, and swore under her breath. Very quietly, she tiptoed into the bedroom she and Ron shared, and snatched it and her work robes from her chest of drawers.  
Dressing in the bathroom, Hermione glanced at her watch and saw that she had over an hour before she had to be at work. Starting the kettle, she turned on the news and whispered, "_Muffliato._"  
The muggle world was really not very interesting. She smiled at how out of touch she had become with the whole ordeal. Hermione could not give you the name of the prime minister for a hundred galleons, nor the location of Britain's current war for a thousand. Hermione laughed out loud at the irony of her parentage - she, the only muggle-born who could not handle pounds or pence. Hermione was still laughing as she apparated to the ministry.

As Hermione walked down the hallway, she was forcing herself to think of everything but Ron. She thought of Luna, whom she had not seen since she had set off for Milan to promote her fashion line. Who would've known that earrings made of fruit and clothing based on animals could have sprung to such fame? Thoughts of Luna led to Neville, her devoting husband, who was still sulking that he could not leave his post in the middle of the term. Then she remembered that she was not actually going to her office today - she was to help conduct interviews for Potions professor. She glanced at her watch. _In two minutes!_  
Hermione ran down the corridor and turned the corner, sprinting for dear life. As she approached the office, she was rather abruptly slammed into by a very tall man with very blond hair.  
It was none other than Draco Malfoy.

x-x

Draco turned around, apologizing as he did so.  
"I'm sorry, ma'am, my fault, I wasn't look-" As Draco caught a glance at the woman, he for the first time realized just who he had bumped into.  
Hermione gulped and ducked into the office. Draco followed and took his place with the other candidates. Chatter filled the room as he watched Hermione take her place at the evaluators' table.  
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat twice, and the room settled down.  
"Thank you all for coming," the headmistress said, "I trust you all have the necessary paperwork?"  
Worried murmurs filled the room as all of the candidates fretted. _Paperwork?_ Draco thought with panic, _What paperwork?_  
"I was joking," said McGonagall. "I am a very humorous person."  
Everyone glanced at her expressionless face and laughed. The mood had brightened considerably by the time the candidates were assigned evaluation rooms.  
"Abbott, Hannah: room one!  
Bailey, Arnold: room two!"  
Draco tuned everything out until he heard,  
"Malfoy, Draco: room fifteen!"  
He looked around the lobby for his room number and tried to ignore the pointing and whispering that had sparked at the sound of his name.  
"Malfoy! The Draco Malfoy?"  
"Death-eater..."  
"His father was a..."  
"I thought he was in Azkaban!"  
"What is _he_ doing here?"  
Draco caught sight of his room and walked toward it as the crowd parted to let him through, staring in shock. He shut the door behind himself and turned to face his examiner.

x-x

Did it have to be Malfoy? Of all thirty candidates! Hermione averted her eyes and read from the paper she had been given.  
"Dra-dr-dra" The words caught, and Hermione cleared her throat. "Draco Malfoy. Welcome. My name is-"  
"I know what your name is." said Malfoy, "Are you...okay, now?"  
Hermione ignored the question. "In front of you is a cauldron. Please explain to me, as you would teach a student, how to concoct the Draught of Living Death. I have any and all supplies you may require - all you have to do is request them. Begin."  
Draco just stared. "Granger, you were in my potions class."  
Hermione looked up at him for the first time, and finally noticed the man Draco had become. He had parted his hair, and had finally realized gel was not for everybody. He was taller, if that was possible, and Hermione gasped a little as she looked into his stormy gray eyes. They had lost all traces of the turmoil they had contained before, and exuded an aura that was utterly carefree. He was beautiful.  
Draco _harrumphed_.  
"Right, right. Malfoy. The fact that I was in your Potions class is irrelevant. You have twenty-eight minutes remaining."  
Hermione sat back and watched, taking careful notes. She noticed Draco's complete mastery of the subject, and saw him brighten steadily as he continued to explain in clear, concise sentences. Hermione wrote down everything she noticed, good and bad, though examples of the latter were few in number.  
Hermione wrote down _nearly_ everything she noticed. She left out the rush she felt when their hands touched as she rationed out billywig stings and the like, and left out the pure perfection that was his body. Hermione decided that McGonagall could do without that information.  
However, as she let Malfoy's deep, rich voice wash over her, she could not ignore the nagging thought at the back of her mind. Ronald, at home.  
Waiting.

**I'M SO SORRY GUYS. I can really only write on the weekends, and last weekend was hectic - homework and housework and yardwork and more stuff. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, as I am finally getting to the point, kind of. Can you kind of see where the story is going? I hope not - I DON'T WANNA BE PREDICTABLE. **  
**While I am going to finish this story no matter what, the speed at which I do so depends on you guys. If you are still reading and still waiting, leave me a review and the pure guilt will speed stuff up, but I can't really be sure that anyone is reading at the moment, so I'm going at my own pace. If you would still like to see more, tell me, so I know! :3**

**Lots of Love - TOAO**


	7. Beauty

Draco took his evaluation paper and walked out of the little room, smiling. The action felt strange on his usually solemn face. As he turned in his papers at the appropriate table, there was only one thing on his mind.  
_Hermione_.  
How long had it been since he had seen her, really seen her? Six, seven years? And even back then his vision had been clouded by the ever-present shadow that was Voldemort. It was true that Draco had not seen the light or the good in the world until his father died.  
He could see everything now though, the good, the bad, the ugly. And the beautiful.  
The heartbreakingly, stunningly beautiful.  
Had she always been so stunning? Draco had a feeling that he would have remembered. Though perhaps the shadows had darkened his vision to the point where nothing could shine.  
Deep in thought, Draco walked through the halls, not noticing where he was going. Several students hustled around, not paying any mind to the enormous blonde man walking in their midst. It was nice, for once, not to be whispered about, or pointed at. Draco knew he deserved every single judgemental word that went his way, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. It was nice to be around people who didn't know him, or his secrets, or his darkest moments. That was why he was applying to become a teacher.  
Draco didn't need money. His father, though evil, was a very wealthy man, even in death. By selling one set of the family silver, Draco could pay his way for a thousand years.  
But no amount of money could buy forgiveness.

x-x

Hermione left the castle and walked back to her office. There was only one thing on her mind.  
_Coffee. I need coffee._  
Sleeping on the couch was a rough go. Hermione knew she would need a serious caffeine boost to get through the day. She opened the door to her office and summoned her espresso machine from the closet. This was going to be _awesome_.  
As Hermione lay back in her chair, there was a sharp rap at the door. "Miss Granger?"  
Crap. It was McGonagall.  
Hermione put down her coffee and sat up straight, pulling some random tests in front of her and holding her pen poised to grade, she said, "Come in, come in."  
McGonagall entered, back stiff, nose turned. Though it had been nearly fifteen years since Hermione had first seen her, Minerva hadn't changed a bit. The only difference in the headmistress was her hair - the auburn was now streaked with gray.  
"Ah, Miss Granger." McGonagall said. "I have important matters to discuss: may I sit?"  
"Of course." replied Hermione.  
McGonagall sat down in one of the chairs opposite Hermione's desk, and straightened her posture. She cleared her throat.  
"This matter is rather...delicate, Miss Granger. It is about the Potions position."  
"Yes?"  
"Well, your candidate was by far the most impressive - your report left me no doubt of that. However..." McGonagall hesitated.  
Hermione was confused. "What's the problem?"  
McGonagall cleared her throat again, looking uncomfortable. "However, I am not sure he can be trusted. His...prior actions have not been of the purest intention. Despite this, I am going to give him a second chance. On one condition."  
"What's that?"  
"I need you to keep an eye on him."  
Hermione's jaw dropped. Then, remembering her place, she shut her mouth quickly.  
"With all due respect, Professor, is there no one else?"  
"Why? Is there something _wrong_, Miss Granger?"  
_Why yes._ Hermione wanted to say. _Yes, there is something wrong. Draco found me in the middle of the woods crying, and I don't think it will take long for him to figure out what's going on if I'm constantly around. He's unbelievably hot, and if I even speak to him Ronald will beat me to death. He used to work for the most powerful dark wizard of all time, and is responsible for the deaths of more people than I want to think about. Yes, Professor, there is something wrong._  
"No, Professor, nothing at all. It was foolish of me to ask."  
"Well, best of luck to you, Miss Granger."  
The door shut behind McGonagall with a loud clang.

**I PROMISE. I **_**WILL**_ **UPDATE NEXT WEEKEND. My midterms will be over by then, so things should calm down some. I will also try to keep the mood a bit lighter than it has been: I know, I write with extreme drama. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING. I got one critical review, which was **_**great**_**: the world isn't full of yesmen, but I'm gonna ask you guys to be specific when there's something wrong - so I can fix it! :D**

**LOLOLOLOL I know it's been three weeks I kinda should just die. I WILL NOT DO THAT TO YOU AGAIN :3**

**Lots of Love - TOAO**


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